Der Struwwelpeter, known famously in English as Shockheaded Peter, is a brutal set of stories from the 19th century intended to terrify children into behaving.

In 1891, Mark Twain wrote Slovenly Peter, his own translation of the book.

This video selection, made in the 1950s, adds a fantastic, surreal element to what is already a bizarre selection of tales. Copyright: RheinMainTV.

"I'm dreaming of a wet Christmas?" I'll bet it's the first time you've heard that one! Diving instructor Werner Lambert has placed an entire life-sized Christmas diorama underwater in the Moselle town of Bernkastel-Kues. Here's to a very wet Christmas! Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]

Monsters for Christmas? They are the sinister contrast to our friendly Santa Claus: While the latter likes to turn a blind eye to naughty children, the Krampus rattles his chain to get the necessary respect from the little ones. The Krampus run in Munich always takes place on two Sundays during Advent.

In part one of this series, Yabla star reporter Diane attends the Peter and Paul festival in Bretten, where she not only dons medieval garb, but proceeds to take lessons in loading and shooting a replica of an ancient matchlock musket, and all in a genuine Baden dialect!

Yabla star reporter Diane takes to the streets of Karlruhe to ask people about their plans for New Year's Eve and their resolutions for the coming year with a suprisingly diverse array of responses. Guten Rutsch!

Part two of this series takes Yabla star reporter Diane to a catapult stand, where the carnie gives her a detailed account of the history of the catapult, and on to the "Mercenaries" club, whose members wear medieval costumes and barter their services in Bretten's Peter and Paul Festival. Enjoy!

Check out this animated version of the classic Grimm Brothers' fairytale "The Frog Prince," with a lively narration by Bastian Pastewka.

In this next part, Yabla star reporter Diane tells us tales of the battle between Bretten and the Duke of Württemberg, of the fattened puppy that fooled him into retreat! We are also presented with the conjuring of a court jester. Viel Spaß!

Despite one couple whose idea of a romantic Valentine's Day is to visit the German Constitutional Court, Yabla star reporter Diane still manages to find some people with some more traditional ideas of love. What are you doing with your loved one this Valentine's Day?

Though the Bach Cantatas have some very old-fashioned spellings in German (such as adding an "et" to the end of third person singular verbs instead of just a "t"), the language is still easily understandable, and the music is among the most beautiful ever created. Enjoy!

This wonderful animated version of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Rumpelstiltskin" features the many guises of narrator Bastian Pastewka. "Rumpelstiltskin" seems to have some very ambiguous morals: Lying to the powerful about your daughter is good? Marrying a powerful man is good, even if he is a swine? Never give a rich woman with a baby a second chance? See if you can figure it out!

Another delightful animated fairytale, this time Hans Christian Andersen's beloved "The Ugly Duckling," again featuring narrator Bastian Pastewka. Enjoy!

This very funny and very fast animated version of "Puss in Boots" is both fun and educational to watch. NOTE: This video uses antiquated forms of German such as Eure Majestät which are roughly equivalent to "Thy Majesty" in Shakespearean-Era English, but have been translated for ease of understanding into modern English. Viel Spaß beim Lernen!

This very entertaining animated version of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale "The Emperor's New Clothes" has a moral that is applicable in society and politics to this very day. And though looking good is important, that is most definitely not the moral of this story!

Enjoy this classic Grimm Brothers Fairy tale "The Brave Little Tailor," and remember the moral of the story: Think big!